Search Results for: blog keeping family issues in perspective

Issues Illuminated in The Waiting Child

Last week I wrote about Cindy’s Champnella’s book The Waiting Child: How the Faith and Love of One Orphan Saved the Life of Another, which tells the incredible story of her four-year-old daughter’s campaign to find a family for a toddler she had been assigned to take care of at her orphanage. In addition to the central story of trying to bring their daughter’s ill-nourished “baby” to the U.S., the book also deals with many aspects of adoption: the “voluntary donation” fees paid to orphanages, the deprivation some children have experienced in the orphanages, fears and insecurities in older children, … Continue reading →

Keeping Table Manners in Perspective

Yes, table manners are important. Knowing which fork is for which and how to eat without one’s elbows on the table do matter—BUT, I also think we need to keep these things in perspective. In my opinion, learning table manners should be age appropriate and shouldn’t be such a focus as to take away the pleasure and enjoyment of a family meal. I think that it can be surprising how much kids pick up just by parental modeling—without nagging and reminders, they do tend to assimilate all sorts of behaviors (good ones and not so good ones) just by what … Continue reading →

Resolving Legal Issues Can Take Time

For many of us, our single family status has a legal component. We have either been through a separation or a divorce, or there may have been a death, or even if we became single parents by choice—there may be custody agreements and legal documents that help clarify our family status. Anyone who has ever been through a legal process can testify that these sorts of things take time. It can make it challenging to heal and get on with our lives when legal issues can really take a very long time… Keeping the legal pieces of our lives separate … Continue reading →

Keeping “Family Issues” In Perspective

It’s hard not to look to heredity or family history to explain the myriad of behavior issues that can come up with our kids. After all, we really WANT to have someone or something to blame so we don’t have to live with the ambiguity and the wondering of why exactly they are behaving the way they are. There is a danger, however, in letting “family issues” and family history takeover and not dealing with our children as individuals living in the here and now. I think of those family issues like a comfy old sweater—it’s so hard not to … Continue reading →

Insurance Podcast Roundup – Week of June 11, 2012

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Every week, the Insurance Podcast Roundup brings you brand new episodes of podcasts that talk about insurance related topics. Keeping up with the latest news about insurance is a good way to be aware of the changes that could affect the insurance that protects your family. NPR released an episode of “Morning Edition” on June 11, 2012. This episode is called “For Uninsured in Ore., A Flat Fee For Health Care”. This episode talks about something new that clinics in Oregon are doing. They charge patients a set monthly fee for basic medical care. The clinics do not accept health … Continue reading →

Health: Dwarfism (Achondroplasia)

When an adult person stands only 4’10” or less, they are referred to as a dwarf. The medical term for a dwarf is achondroplasia. Most dwarfs, however, are generally 2’8” to 4’8” tall. The cause of dwarfism is usually related to genetics, although some types are of unknown origin. The typical occurrence of dwarfism is due to a random mutation from either the egg or the sperm. Their parents are usually normal in size. Their children have received one mutated copy of the gene that causes dwarfism and a normal copy of the gene. A dwarf, therefore, has a fifty … Continue reading →

You Can Be a GOOD Example, Not a Perfect One

Just like most of you, I take my role as a parent rather seriously. I truly believe that I am a role model and an “example” for my kids. Does this mean I think I am perfect or that I even try to be? Okay, maybe there have been times when I TRIED to be perfect-but the truth is, I can be a good example and a decent role model, but I definitely cannot be perfect! I really do want my kids to know that I am a flawed human being, not at all perfect but trying all the time … Continue reading →

It Doesn’t Feel Like I’m Overreacting at the Time!

Keeping my cool, staying calm, achieving a state of Zen—however I try to describe it, it all comes down to my trying NOT to overreact around the parenting issues or things that happen in our family… I have to say that at the time, my reactions feel entirely appropriate. I wrote earlier today about how I have a hard time keeping my cool when dealing with institutions, bureaucracies and difficult “customer service” representatives—at the time, my anger and frustration seem absolutely justified. Maybe they are not very productive, but they feel natural! I know in my head, however, that staying … Continue reading →

Trying to Be Unshockable

By nature, I can be somewhat excitable. I have my own rosy fantasy of how I think life should go and when it comes to my kids, I don’t always keep up with the times and reality no matter how hip I try to be. But, with a house full of teens, I have been working to keep my excitable nature under control and at least appear as if I cannot be shocked. I remember being a kid myself and how I absolutely loved to be shocking for my parents (not so much my grandparents since I really wanted them … Continue reading →

Expressing Oneself Means Less Acting Out

I am a big believer in the power of language and communication. I think when we give our children the gift of being able to talk about things and empower them with the communication skills and freedom to express their feelings and opinions, they are less likely to act out with negative behaviors. Kids (and grownups too) who can talk about what is going on in terms of emotional distress or concerns are less likely to need to act out as a coping mechanism. When I say “act out” I am referring to attention-seeking behaviors or aggression or other behavior … Continue reading →